Motorhome Travels - August 2011

07/08/2011

Cape Keraudren

Our new (Chinese made) water heater was sent from Sydney on the 26th of
July. The less than informative Aus Post tracking system tells us exactly
nothing about its location or expected delivery date - but the woman in the Port Hedland Post Office tells us that it
takes 10 - 12 working days to get items from eastern states to Port Hedland,
and transit times of 3 weeks are not uncommon. With this in mind we have decided not
to wait in Port Hedland, but to have it sent on once it arrives.

Cape Keraudren and the battleship,WA

The old water heater is still working - but it is not very reliable or easy to use
... we will manage with it for another week or two.

Cape Keraudren is a large coastal reserve located about 200km north of
Hedland. It has changed very little since last time we were back in 2006.
This is where we were camped when we received the phone call that prompted
our rapid return to NZ that year.

The Cape has a number of camping areas and has become very popular. The
price is one thing that has changed - it's doubled to $6.50 per person per
night (plus an $10 entry fee per vehicle). There are some new facilities
including two new dump points.

Our camp overlooks a large lagoon leading to a tidal creek. Due to the
massive tides in this part of the country, our view is forever changing.
There is a large rock at the entrance to the lagoon that is for obvious
reasons called the battleship. This stands about 3 meters off the sand and
it is possible to walk out to and around it at low tide each day. At high
tide it completely disappears and the light blue water that covers it leaves
no hint of the structure below. The image below is a combination of a number
of photos taken throughout the day and shows the dramatic transformation as
the enormous volume of water arrives and recedes with each tide.

With some help from a couple of readers of our blog, we seem to have the
bus brakes working about as well as they ever have. New linings, correct
adjustment and a minor alteration to one of the push arms has (for now) done
the trick. Lets hope it stays this way as it is really nice to be able to
stop when we want to.

07/08/2011

Broome and the Gibb River Road

Our new water heater finally found us in Broome (after nearly three weeks
in transit - (thanks AusPost)). As I mentioned, expectations were low - to my surprise it is
actually not bad. At about one tenth of the price of a Bosch unit and perhaps about
half the build quality - not a bad deal really :-). Fitting it was not too
much of a job - I really hate plumbing. Give me electricity any day - pipes
and joints leak, wires and connectors don't. This road that we are currently
on will be a great test for the water heaters robustness (and my pipe work) - if it can handle this it should
be ok.

Its not easy hiding an11m bus! Our free campnear Windjana, WA

We have heard lots of conflicting reports about the Gibb River Road. Some
people say "it is fine, just take it slowly", others claim that it "eats even
the toughest of vehicles". We just have to see for ourselves. We have
traveled about 150km and so far it has not been too bad. We are told that
this is the good end - we will see. I don't spend too much time worrying
about the bus - it is very tough and well proven in conditions like this, I worry
far more about the poor little Vitara being dragged behind it in all the
dust and stones.

Smile for the camera. Freshwatercroc at Windjana, WA

Yesterday we visited Windjana Gorge - a truly amazing place. The
landscape has to be seen to be believed, none of the (500 odd) photos we
took really do it justice. The many fresh water crocs that make the gorge
their home are very used to having
their photos taken, and allow well mannered photographers to get within a couple of
meters. This is about as close as anyone really wants to be to a croc in the
wild. The walk up the gorge is fairly easy (about 6 km return) but the heat
of the day made it quite exhausting. We were both very tired by the time we
returned to the bus and were glad to have use of the new water heater for a
shower. Sunset on the cliff face near the camp ground was amazing and the
full moon made its appearance not long after sunset.

No, not the mother-in-law ... a batat Windjana Gorge, WA

Today we traveled the 40km to Tunnel Creek leaving the bus in the
campsite at Windjana Gorge. Tunnel Creek is just that - a tunnel through the range
created over centuries by a creek (that I guess becomes a serious river in
the wet season). It is possible to walk right through the range. There is
a section in the middle of the tunnel where the roof has collapsed . Here
the
claustrophobic few can seek a brief reprieve before heading back into the
dark to complete the walk. The water was waist deep in a few parts, but not
really unpleasantly cold. We took our time and enjoyed the walk stopping
often to take photos. We thoroughly recommend the walk to everyone.

We have closely studied the maps and guides for this part of the trip and
it seems that there is an awful lot to be seen up here. It might just take
us a few weeks to cross this Gibb River Road.

The collapse at the halfway point ofTunnel Creek, WA

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